Student Qualification Requirements

Applicants must:

• live and go to school in the county the student is applying for;

• by the summer, have completed the 10th grade; and

• be at least 16 years of age by date of hire.

Note: If you are offered an internship, are under 18 years of age, AND will not be graduating prior to the start of the program, you will be required to obtain a work permit.

Application Process

To apply, go online to: www.mtc.ca.gov/jobs/high_school/ 1 Complete online application.

2 Attach a page that describes in your own words a transportation problem in your community and explains what you think could be done to help resolve the problem.

3 Attach one letter of recommendation from a teacher, principal, counselor, religious leader or employer (two letters are required if GPA is below 2.8).

After an initial screening process, the best-qualified candidates will be notified as to which one of our transportation agency partners they have been selected to interview with.

Interviews will be conducted either in person or by telephone.

For More Information

Contact MTC’s High School Intern Coordinator at 510.817.5807, or e-mail InternCoordinator@mtc.ca.gov, or visit MTC’s Web site at www.mtc.ca.gov/jobs/high_school/.

About MTC

Created by the state Legislature in 1970, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. A 19-member policy board not only directs MTC, but also, since 1998, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) and, since 1988, the region’s Service Authority for Freeways and Expressways (SAFE). MTC has sponsored a high school internship program since 2000.

Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter

101 Eighth Street

Oakland, California 94607-4700

TEL. 510.817.5700

TDD/TTY 510.817.5769

FAX 510.817.5848

E-MAIL info@mtc.ca.gov

WEB www.mtc.ca.gov

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High-School Internship

Program

TO CAREERS IN TRANSPORTATION

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM exposes students to career opportunities in the field of transportation by placing them in local public works departments, public transit agencies and the like; helps students understand the role of transportation agencies in the community, county and region; offers professional skill-building opportunities and enrichment activities during all phases of the program; and provides assistance to our partner transportation agencies.The program was conceived by MTC’s former Minority Citizens Advisory Committee to encourage young people to consider a career in transportation.

Students of all abilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Minority and female applicants are highly desired.

About the Internship

Approximately 35 summer internships are available throughout the nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma.

Online recruitment happens at the beginning of each year. The internship locations vary and an applicant may apply for multiple internship opportunities in the county he/she lives in.

Internship activities vary depending on the needs of our partner agencies and the skill set and interests of the interns. Information about the program and a link to the internship positions are posted on MTC’s website at: www.mtc.ca.gov/jobs/high_school/

Interns are paid a competitive hourly wage and work

Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 am to 5 pm (there may be some exceptions), up to 40 hours per week. Interns may work full-time or part-time for up to 10 weeks between the months of June and August.

The Internship Experience

At Orientation, guidelines, expectations and administra-tive paperwork are addressed and interns and mentors participate in team-building activities.

During your internship, you will work on projects and tasks that the agency has assigned you, partake in enrichment activities and meet talented professionals who have a wealth of experience and knowledge you can tap into. There may also be opportunities to attend transportation-related educational excursions that give you behind-the-scenes insights.

At the mid-summer Intern Forum, you will give a presentation to MTC staff, fellow interns and mentors that explains the role of your agency within the community, and that summarizes the projects you have been working on and the skills and knowledge you are gaining.

Minimum Skills Agencies Are Seeking• Basic math and computer skills (Word & Excel)

• Proficient oral and written communication skills (writing experience such as for a school or club newspaper, website or personal blog will be a plus)

• Customer service skills

• Eagerness to learn something new and challenging

• Willingness to work in an office and/or in the field

• Familiarity with public transportation

• Ability to perform basic office tasks, such as typing, managing data, conducting research and compiling information

Examples of Typical Assignments• Perform fieldwork, such as taking project photos,

observing bicycle and pedestrian activity, and collecting land-use data

• Create reports/presentations from collected field data

• Construct maps with Computer-Aided Drafting (AutoCAD) software

• Inventory bicycle signage and parking locations to update databases

• Write articles for newsletters/websites and assist in the production of publications used for outreach and promotional activities